Inspiring initiatives carried out in the Galician countryside: protagonists of the second edition of the Harvest Market Roundtables

Some of the most innovative initiatives carried out in the Galician countryside recently will take the stage of the Teatro Rosalía in A Coruña on the 23 April from 5pm, with the aim of sharing experiences with all those who wish to have first- hand information about innovative ideas that have demonstrated an added and differentiating value, and that may serve as an example to society as a whole.

Three important companies, Corporación Hijos de Rivera, Gadis and R, have decided to focus part of their social responsibility jointly via the creation of the Mercado de la Cosecha (Harvest Market), a platform of initiatives for those who share and propose ideas to boost competitive development in Galicia and the sustainability of the countryside.

One of the highlighted actions within this initiative is the Parladoiros (Harvest Market Roundtables), an event in its second year during which 8 speakers will share their experiences in relation to the challenges of adopting a rural way of life. Through their stories, they will show that it is possible to reach a high standard of living, personal and professional development in the country, highlighting the values of our inherent resources such as innovation, an easily visible identity, tradition, natural resources, human potential…

In the previous edition in Santiago de Compostela, the Parladoiros turned into a show in which the audience filled the Teatro Principal to enjoy listening to original chats given by the guest speakers, as well as listening to traditional music and great humorous reflections about country life. This second edition wants to repeat a format which was positively welcomed and which managed to highlight the effort and initiative of rural entrepreneurs.

The protagonists of the second edition of the Harvest Market Roundtables will be

– Idoia Cuesta, who discovered in basket making a technique that is hard to imagine. Based in Cela in Lugo, her work has attracted the attention of fashion labels such as Loewe.

– Santiago Pérez was a commercial aeroplane pilot until one day, tired of that lifestyle, he decided to leave it behind to create Finca de los Cuervos and cultivate fresh produce present in a large part of Spanish haute cuisine.

– Xosé Lois Llamazares left a steady job to set the Daveiga project in motion with his two brothers and offer the mariñeiras biscuits to the public.

– Miguel Arean gets all he can out of a typically Galician product as the chestnut. With Castañas Naiciña, he aims to offer a quality and differentiating product which allows him to be present in the market.

– Nuria Varela returned from Madrid to her roots to rebuild the Pazo de Vilane with such care that she now reflects this in her slogan: “we don’t produce eggs, we look after hens”

– Germán García has taken on the responsibility of the family cheese-making business. Cortes de Muar brings a breath of fresh air into a sector that seeks to bring its singular cheeses to the forefront by making them in a traditional manner as much as possible.

– Miguel Soto, from the Ulla apple cooperative (Ullama), attempts to recuperate the important role that cider has traditionally had in Galicia and especially in the Ulloa area.

– The renowned wine expert Dominique Roujou, highlights the quality of Galician natural products and the need to present them at the level of quality that a global market demands.

Ticket sales

Tickets for the event (15euros) will be on sale on the Servinova web, and all the money from ticket sales will go to the Fundación Juana de Vega to help finance its “Programa de Apoyo al Emprendimiento Agroalimentario” (“Support Programme for Food and Agricultural Entrepreneurship”).